Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in North America
North America: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 9.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in North America, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in North America stood at 9.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.6% on the previous year and down 16.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in North America peaked at 18.0% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 8.2%, in 2023.
That places North America 40th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in North America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 13.7% | — |
| 1992 | 14.6% | +6.2% |
| 1993 | 13.8% | -5.5% |
| 1994 | 12.9% | -6.6% |
| 1995 | 12.4% | -3.4% |
| 1996 | 12.4% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 11.9% | -4.2% |
| 1998 | 10.9% | -8.6% |
| 1999 | 10.3% | -5.4% |
| 2000 | 9.6% | -6.7% |
| 2001 | 10.7% | +11.6% |
| 2002 | 12.1% | +12.9% |
| 2003 | 12.5% | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 11.9% | -4.3% |
| 2005 | 11.3% | -5.0% |
| 2006 | 10.5% | -7.1% |
| 2007 | 10.5% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 12.6% | +20.0% |
| 2009 | 17.3% | +36.9% |
| 2010 | 18.0% | +4.2% |
| 2011 | 17.0% | -5.8% |
| 2012 | 16.0% | -5.6% |
| 2013 | 15.3% | -4.2% |
| 2014 | 13.4% | -12.7% |
| 2015 | 11.7% | -12.3% |
| 2016 | 10.6% | -9.4% |
| 2017 | 9.4% | -11.4% |
| 2018 | 8.8% | -6.6% |
| 2019 | 8.6% | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 15.4% | +78.9% |
| 2021 | 10.1% | -34.6% |
| 2022 | 8.3% | -17.6% |
| 2023 | 8.2% | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 9.3% | +13.6% |
| 2025 | 9.8% | +4.6% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in North America changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +78.9% | 8.6% | 15.4% |
| 2009 | +36.9% | 12.6% | 17.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12.6% | 10.3% | 14.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 11.9% | 9.6% | 17.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.9% | 8.6% | 18.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.2% | 8.2% | 15.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 37 Mauritania 22.9% compare
- 38 Lebanon 22.7% compare
- 39 Iran, Islamic Republic of 21.9% compare
- 40 Morocco 21.9% compare
- 41 Chile 21.6% compare
- 42 Finland 21.5% compare
- 43 Luxembourg 21.5% compare
More work & labour data for North America
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 62.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 52.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 52.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 69.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 78.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 74.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 56.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 84.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in North America?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in North America was 9.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 18.0% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.2% in 2023.
- How does North America rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- North America ranks 40th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.